21. Angie
ANGIE
Connor gives me plenty of space that night. When he does come home, it’s only to shower and get changed. He drags the smell of soot and ashes after him. I want to ask if he’s okay, but I hide out in the massive closet instead, not ready to face him.
I keep going over my life since the accident. Everything I’ve done since then feels wrong, like he tainted it. What did I achieve on my own? Was any of it real?
Connor’s power and influence goes so much deeper than I ever could’ve known.
Rowan talked me down after the conversation. I felt bad losing my mind in front of a teenager though and put on a brave face for her. In all this, I shouldn’t lose sight that she’s still around because of me, that no matter what Connor did in the years after, I really did save Rowan’s life.
That was me. The one thing I can truly be proud of.
I find a simple black gift box waiting on the bed when Connor’s gone. There’s a bow and a note. I keep my promises.
Inside is my phone and a charger.
I power it on immediately. I didn’t expect to have such a visceral reaction but it’s like I’m instantly relieved of some invisible pressure.
I hated not having it. Which is sad, honestly, like I can’t be apart from it for long.
Messages start to populate as I scroll social media, trying to bury my brain in short form video, until I notice one of the recent emails.
It’s from Brad.
I’m tempted to delete it, but I can’t help myself. I open it, dumbfounded, blood draining from my face. I cross my legs under me and hunch forward, going through it again and again, horror sinking into my guts.
Dear Angie, hey babe, look I really hate to do this but we gotta talk.
I’ve been thinking about some of those pictures you sent me, and how I hear you got some new husband now, and I was thinking.
You probably don’t want me to livestream all those nasty pics of you, right?
Especially not the ones where ure shoving that huge dildo in your pussy?
I love those, u look so hot. I bet the stream will be WILD when we show it, lol.
So for real, let’s meet and talk about this. We can come to an agreement, right? Like you give me five thousand dollars and I delete everything?
K let me know.
Ps Lavender says sup bitch!
Oh, fuck.
This can’t be real. Brad can’t be this stupid and vindictive.
But then again, I’m pretty sure he is.
My heart’s slamming in my chest as I call him. The number rings a few times before it clicks and he picks up. “Angie! Hey! I was just thinking about you.”
“Brad, what the fuck?” I hiss, looking around to make sure nobody’s listening, but I’m alone. “I read that email. Are you fucking kidding me?”
“Calm down, Angie, it’s not a big deal. Aren’t you married to your boss? Isn’t that guy rich as hell?”
“How do you even know that?!”
“Your mom made a big stink when she got dragged from her apartment. Everyone heard about it.” There’s noise in the background on his end.
A woman’s voice but I can’t make out the words.
“Lavender says she knows a guy in the building and he told her all about it. Damn, Angie, you moved on fast. I’m honestly hurt. ”
“Fuck you. I can’t believe you’re doing this.” Tears spring into my eyes. I feel disgusting like bugs are crawling all over my skin. “Those were for you. This is so fucked up, Brad.”
“Relax! It’s five grand. You can handle it. Just bring the money to Heart and Stone, you know that bar? Meet me and Lavender there tonight and this’ll be done.”
“Fuck. I don’t have any money. I can’t even—“ I stop before I say, I can’t even leave my room.
“Don’t play around.” Brad’s voice gets serious. He sounds almost regretful. “Seriously Angie, just pay. It’s easier. Please.”
“You’re such a bastard. This is vile.”
“I know. But it’s happening. Just pay and move on. I swear, I’ll delete everything.”
I squeeze my eyes shut. Tears well out and roll down my cheeks.
We dated for years. I thought Brad was the one. We had good times together too. We laughed, made plans, kissed and snuggled. He cooked me pancakes and I made him homemade fries. It wasn’t perfect, but I thought it might be for real.
Now he’s using me for money. Using the naked pictures I sent him. Blackmailing me.
I feel so violated and I want to get sick.
“Fine. Five thousand.” My head works in circles. I have access to my money still through my phone, and I have over six in savings. It’s everything, but I can cover this. “Swear you’re not lying.”
“I wouldn’t.” More muffled talking. “Oh, and Lavender says you should take up streaming. She says you’d be really good at it.”
“Tell Lavender she’s a disgusting bitch.”
“I’m not gonna do that.”
“Go to hell, Brad.”
“Ten tonight. Heart and Stone, in the back. Later, Angie.”
He hangs up. I look down at the phone, numb and horrified.
How is this happening?
And how is Brad so goddamn stupid?
It’s bad enough that he’s doing some revenge porn shit, or at least threatening it.
But if I go to Connor, what’ll happen?
My husband came home covered in someone else’s blood.
There’s no way Brad will walk out of that room alive.
Which means I have to pay him. Not because he deserves it, but because there’s still a part of me that doesn’t want to see him and his piece-of-shit girlfriend get murdered.
God, am I really this twisted? I’m trying to protect my blackmailer.
It’d be easier to tell Connor. He’d make all this go away. No doubt in my mind.
But he’d do it with blood and pain.
And what’s the point of money now, anyway?
I’m wiping my face off when there’s a knock at my door. I hurriedly get myself together, only to find Rowan slipping inside. She’s wearing black sweats and a tight tank, dark eyeliner around her pretty eyes. Her bright smile fades.
“Hey, are you okay? I came to see if you wanted to have breakfast with me.”
“I’m fine. Honestly.” I dry my cheeks. “I wasn’t crying.”
“Wow, so convincing. Is it my brother? Was he a dick again? I’ll talk to him?—“
“No, no, it’s not Connor.” I chew on my lip, thinking fast. Money’s not the problem here. What I really need is someone who can get me out of this place. “I’m in a little trouble.”
Her eyebrows raise. “Are you sure it’s not my brother?”
“No, it’s someone outside of here.” Against my better judgement, I blurt it all out.
Rowan’s too young for all this and she’s properly scandalized when she learns I took dirty photos of myself, but she laughs it off and admits she knows girls at school who do it.
“He wants five thousand in person. You see my problem?”
Rowan pulls at her hair. “You know my brother can just kill him, right?”
“That’s what I’m trying to avoid.”
“He’d deserve it, that fucking scumbag.”
“Probably. But still. Rowan, please. Can you help me?”
She checks the hall behind her, chews on her thumbnail, and brightens. “Hell yeah. I got an idea.”
“Really?”
“I can get us out of here but we’ll need a ride. You know anyone on the outside who can help?”
“Actually, I have just the girl.”
“Great!” Rowan leaps to her feet. “Give me a bit to set it all up. We have to leave at like nine, right?”
“Right, but hey, please don’t get in trouble for me.”
She waves that off. “Don’t worry about it. Connor never stays mad at me. Just be ready to go, okay?”
“Okay, but?—“
“No more questions! I got this!” She stalks off. “We’re gonna pay that blackmailing dickbag and then I’m gonna punch him right in the throat. You don’t want him dead, but that doesn’t mean I can’t hurt him!”
“Wait, hold on, Rowan?—“
But she’s already gone.
I groan and collapse back onto the bed.
What the hell is wrong with me?! Getting a teenager involved?
But there’s no other way I’d ever escape.
And I’ll have to come back. Even if I don’t want to, I can’t risk getting Rowan in trouble, and besides, my mom’s still blazed off her tits in the other room. No, even out there, I’m still trapped here.
At least I have a problem to distract me from thinking about my stalker husband.